• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • ISLAMIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TRAKAI ISLAND CASTLE

November 21, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Trakai, Lithuania

Trakai Island Castle is possibly the most magnificent surviving fortress in the Baltic states of Northeastern Europe.  Also known as Little Marienburg because of its resemblance to Malbork Castle in Poland, it almost completely encompasses a large, rocky island in the middle of Lake Galve and is one of the most stunning waterfront castles anywhere.  It is the definitive monument of Lithuania and one of the most popular tourism destinations in the Baltics.

History

Trakai Island Castle dates back to the 14th century, when it was constructed by the rulers of Lithuania as a part of a defensive system designed to protect Vilmius from the encroachments of the Teutonic Knights.  This system of fortifications also included the older Trakai Peninsula Castle, which is now largely a ruin.

Trakai was assaulted by the Teutonic Knights in the 1370s, at which time both of the castles saw major combat.  Trakai Island Castle was badly damaged and fell to siege, after which it was held by the knights for a brief time.  The castle was later restored to the Lithuanians, though their hold on the Trakai region was tenuous until the Teutonic Knights were decisively defeated at the Battle of Tannenberg in 1410.

In the aftermath of these wars, Trakai Island Castle was transformed into a part-time royal residence.  The Trakai region was later caught up in the Russo-Polish War in the mid-17th century.  This conflict left the Trakai Peninsula Castle in ruins, and the Island Castle in bad, though not terminal, condition.

After this, Trakai Island Castle was largely abandoned until the 19th century.  Restoration has taken place periodically, beginning with the Russian Czars in 1905.  Interestingly, additional restoration efforts were undertaken by the Germans during World War I, the Communists in the 1930s and the Nazis in the early 1940s.  The castle’s full restoration as it stands today was not completed until after Lithuania gained its independence in the 1990s.  It has since become the Lithuania’s preeminent national symbol and its most famous tourist site.

Visiting

Trakai Island Castle has one of the most serene settings of any castle anywhere.  Built of quarried stone for the first few stories and red brick for the upper levels, Trakai is framed by lush green woods and a crystal clear lake which can be dotted with hundreds of white sailboats when the weather is accommodating.  The castle can only be approached on foot by a long wooden causeway which leads straight the red-brick gatehouse.  The high wall is defended by three massive round towers at the corners.

The castle interior is much larger than it appears from the outside.  Beyond the gate is a spacious courtyard, filled with the buildings and facilities to maintain the royal court.  The courtyard is dominated by the large ducal palace, the second largest royal residence in Lithuania.  The palace is now home to a museum with exhibits and artifacts from the castle’s history.

Trakai Island Castle is located in in the resort town of Trakai, Lithuania, approximately twenty miles west of Vilnius.  As of this writing no visitor information was available.  Web: www.trakaimuziejus.lt (official website).

Other Sites

The Baltic States are dotted with excellent and well-preserved castles, relics of the late medieval wars between the Danes, Poles and Teutonic Knights.  Kaunas Castle is probably the next most popular in Lithuania after Trakai Island.  Riga Castle is one of the largest fortresses in the Baltics and is now the seat of the Latvian government.  Estonia boasts several of the best of all, including Hermann Castle, Kuressaare Castle and Toompea Castle.

Filed Under: Castle/Fortress Tagged With: Poland/Lithuania

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2023 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.